The Denver Shop’s family atmosphere explains its years of success as a core skateshop.
Artwork by Mateo Rocha
The Denver Shop, located at 2323 E. Evans Ave., is one of only a few family owned skate shops in Colorado. This shop, like a few others, is known for providing some of the best deals and customer service as a retailer. The Denver shop is the number one provider of all things skate in Colorado. With a wide range of skate videos, skateboarding gear, and limited clothing items, this shop has a lot to offer packed in its small retail space.
Upon walking into the Denver Shop, customers are welcomed to one of the most authentic “core” skate shops in the nation. Owned by skateboarding veteran Tony Mellick, The Denver Shop’s main motivation is to promote skating -and remain true to the core of the culture- while providing people with some great deals. Tony is all about supporting skateboarding in all its shapes and forms, but he is not a fan of some of the ways its been misinterpreted by people who are cashing in on the sport. “I love skateboarding, and I love helping young skaters and normal people looking to buy clothes and stuff, but this isn’t a mall shop so we don’t do some of the things they are known for,” says Tony. This means that Tony might not sell some mainstream products or items that aren’t core skateboarding, but it hasn’t stopped the store from becoming a success. The shop’s archive of items is extensive, and diverse, so skaters and non-skaters alike are bound to find something interesting during a quick browse.
Being a family owned business, The Denver Shop is highly regarded for its homey family atmosphere. The employees are all friends of Tony’s and skaters who ride for the shop through a sponsorship, and a single visit to the shop will make pretty much anyone a friend of Tony. He makes an effort to remember the names and faces of people who are happy enough to make more than one visit to the shop. Even people who stop by to lounge around on the couch and watch skate videos on the TV hanging from the ceiling by the door, are welcome at Denver Shop. It’s not uncommon to see Tony mingling with locals; it’s actually part of his job. “Yeah Tony is a really nice guy, I like that he remembers who I am and actually starts conversation with me,” says local Denver Shop patron and TJ student, Frank Hupperts. Denver University students, and of course skateboarders, are the most common customers at Denver Shop and even though they are completely different demographics of people, The Denver Shop treats them all with the same amount of respect.
The Denver Shop creates an atmosphere of mutual respect and equality and they love to give back to their customers, whomever they are. The shop provides discounts for first-time shoppers, die-hard locals, and has sales for all sorts occasions. Some days Tony will just decide to sell all items for 20 % off, which are great for people who are repeat shoppers. In addition, there are holiday sales, and employees who are willing to barter with customers who might be a few dollars short of getting that new set of wheels.
The Denver Shop is a highly revered skate shop also because of its own produced skate films that are critically acclaimed as some of the best shop videos in the nation. Last year the Denver Shop debuted their latest film In Color that featured shop riders who have gone on to get corporate paying sponsorships. In Color is definitely one of my favorite videos; it’s better than some pro videos made by big companies,” says Hupperts. The Denver Shop works very hard on its video projects and is currently working on a new project which is hoped to debut in August. The cinematography of The Denver Shop videos is professional and creative; they document the essence of skateboarding with a VX-100 camera that captures some of the most vivid colors and unique tricks around.
Some of the Denver Skate Shop’s skaters have moved on to receive sponsorships from companies like Girl Skateborads, Chocolate Skateboards, Blvd. Skateboards, 4-Star Clothing Co. and more, and they all have remained close to the shop in some way. William Spencer, who started out displaying his incredibly unique skate tricks in Denver, has become an actor and a stuntman in various films, and recently participated in the worldwide Ninja Warrior competition.
The Denver Shop is a great example of a family owned skateshop that has been thriving for fifteen years. Denver is lucky to have a shop like this and it is no wonder it has become so popular in the past couple years.
